Clinicians completion rate of radiology request card in a Nigerian tertiary health institution

Abstract

The importance of adequately completing the radiology request card by the clinicians, in management of patient cannot be overemphasized. Omission of information on the request card may lead to reporting error. This study investigated the compliance rate of filling the radiology request card by clinicians received in a tertiary health institution. A total of four hundred (400) radiology request cards from various units and wards, received in the Department of Radiology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital over period of 8 weeks were assessed for their level of completeness and adequacy. Database created and analysed. Only 7(1.8%) of the 400 cards reviewed were completed and of this number only 4(1%) were found to be adequate. The patient name, examination requested and sex were the most frequently filled information on the request card reviewed with 100%, 99.5% and 98.5 compliance respectively. The least completed field on the radiology request card from our study was patient address where only 35.3% was recorded. This study showed that there is poor compliance with completion of the radiology request card by physicians in our institution. There is need for continuous enlightenment and advocacy to physicians on the importance of adequate completion of the radiology request card.

Keywords: Radiology, request, card, physician, adequately, completed